Distraction....

[Inch High aka Inchy.. 412]

Looking at the strength of the Championship this year do we really need the distraction of the EFL cup?

The FA cup is worth a go but I always feel the EFL cup is a cup too far.

[TIL 1010 4,813]

I felt that way about the QPR game but we came through it and i must say tonight we stand a good chance again of progressing but once the big guns show up and field their U23 sides sides it makes a mockery of the competition so it does indeed become a distraction.

[cambridgeshire canary 6,834]

Does always feel like we should be focusing on the league. The so called "magic of the cup" only really exists when it's a top six Prem side getting drawn against a dog and duck pub 11.

Guess it also feels a little meh for us as we always seem to get the most boring draws possible.

[It's Character Forming 1,167]

For me, we've a lot of players who could do with game time and I'm very comfortable with us fielding a starting 11 made up from them, I think even in the Champs that's pretty normal nowadays.

[BigFish 1,988]

I suspect that Wagner & co aren't very distracted by it beyond the day it takes from training - pretty much a practice match that gets minutes into the legs of fringe players.

Edited August 29, 2023 by BigFish

[The Right Winger 13]

Hate these posts, guess you didn’t stand on the terraces of Wembley in 85 or batter Ipswich in the pioneer stand in the semi either, nah thought not

[wcorkcanary 4,353]

Yup, play the second string , it's a good  run out, try to Win the game, but dont risk any crucial players in a competition we are very unlikely to  win. There is not a championship game that I feel we cannot win, therefore it takes priority. 

If we get to the Semis ... at which point the other three teams are likely to be top six prem, and us the surprise package, then yeah , go for it. It's a sideshow, even the FA Cup has lost its magic for me. 3rd and sometimes 4th round can be fun though. 

[BigFish 1,988]

2 minutes ago, The Right Winger said:

Hate these posts, guess you didn’t stand on the terraces of Wembley in 85 or batter Ipswich in the pioneer stand in the semi either, nah thought not

I was there, for both and the Hillsborough & Villa Park semis. But great though they were those days are gone and they are never coming back.

[glory.win or die. 270]

It's like a competitive reserve game so worth staying in to get minutes and confidence in players to keep them ready for the league

[BroadstairsR 2,216]

It's Tuesday nights for goodness’s sake what else is there to excite interest in the middle of Winter? Television is poor, not even Coronation Street ☹️ (wink, wink.)

Quiz night at the local, if we get knocked out, it is then.

More City games the better for me.

[Conrad 179]

The Cups provide a good opportunity for squad players to get match practice in a semi-competitive environment. Oh for the days when reserve team football used to provide this. 

[Jersey Canary 149]

1 hour ago, It's Character Forming said:

For me, we've a lot of players who could do with game time and I'm very comfortable with us fielding a starting 11 made up from them, I think even in the Champs that's pretty normal nowadays.

Exactly. When the fringe players are needed for The Championship they won’t be so rusty so I see a decent cup run as essential. Plus we can blood some young players. It worked wonders for Arsene Wenger at Arsenal. 

[FenwayFrank 2,469]

18 minutes ago, Conrad said:

The Cups provide a good opportunity for squad players to get match practice in a semi-competitive environment. Oh for the days when reserve team football used to provide this. 

Beat me to it, it's game time for the fringe players

[dylanisabaddog 5,030]

1 hour ago, The Right Winger said:

 batter Ipswich in the pioneer stand in the semi 

Really?  Extraordinary first post

[Ian 1,136]

Given our current good run, I think it can only be a good thing to keep the positive mentality going.

Unless we lose and get injuries,

[AJ 1,232]

Cups can be both a good and bad thing. Now reserves leagues don't exist it's a great opportunity to get fringe players valuable playing time as well as build some momentum. That winning feeling goes a long way. I won't feel hugely fussed if we don't progress but we definitely should. 

[shefcanary 2,494]

Wonder what Pearson is thinking though, that is a big part of the issue. He's the sort of leftfield thinking manager who probably could field all reserves, but just as easily field his strongest team, dependent on what side of the bed he got out of this morning. So we could believe he is going with his reserves and field ours accordingly, then he plays his strongest 11 and annihilates us leaving the confidence of our lot shredded with recriminations aplenty behind the scenes. Confidence and trust in the project counts a lot here against the risk of an injury to a star player.

So far Wagner has talked publicly about "going for it" and with the international break only a few days away, I see only a couple of fringe players starting with a loaded bench (Sara, Rowe, McLean, Duffy, Stacey) as per QPR.

[LaUnionCanary 86]

1 hour ago, The Right Winger said:

Hate these posts, guess you didn’t stand on the terraces of Wembley in 85 or batter Ipswich in the pioneer stand in the semi either, nah thought not

I sat in the stands, not stood.

[NewNestCarrow 203]

2 hours ago, Inch High aka Inchy.. said:

Looking at the strength of the Championship this year do we really need the distraction of the EFL cup?

The FA cup is worth a go but I always feel the EFL cup is a cup too far.

We have eight or ten squad players who need minutes in their legs and who also need the opportunity to put presure on those getting into the first-team ahead of them.

Would you rather they got these minutes:

a) against the Chelsea U21s, in a stadium that is 90% empty (or played at a training complex). in a competition where there is no jeopardy of relegation / promotion?

OR

b) in the LC, where it's win or go home (metaphorically) and playing in a stadium that might be 50% full?

[Sufyellow 225]

2 hours ago, The Right Winger said:

Hate these posts, guess you didn’t stand on the terraces of Wembley in 85 or batter Ipswich in the pioneer stand in the semi either, nah thought not

Were you on the last train in that day.

[Inch High aka Inchy.. 412]

5 hours ago, The Right Winger said:

Hate these posts, guess you didn’t stand on the terraces of Wembley in 85 or batter Ipswich in the pioneer stand in the semi either, nah thought not

You suppose wrong on your first point and on your own on the second. 

 

what a strange old man you must be. Very odd.

[Gordon Bennett 794]

6 hours ago, It's Character Forming said:

For me, we've a lot of players who could do with game time and I'm very comfortable with us fielding a starting 11 made up from them, I think even in the Champs that's pretty normal nowadays.

Completely agree with this. Important minutes for those not starting on Saturdays.

[Duncan Edwards 2,271]

We didn’t batter anyone in the first leg. Pitch was sh1te and Mich D’Avray scored for the filth. Steve Bruce’s header on the other hand was a bullet but, for me, pales into the memory of John Deehan’s ballooning shot off Ian Cranson.

Binner Harrison: “Poor old Ian Cranson. What dreadful luck for Ipswich…”

 

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

[Sufyellow 225]

18 hours ago, Duncan Edwards said:

We didn’t batter anyone in the first leg. Pitch was sh1te and Mich D’Avray scored for the filth. Steve Bruce’s header on the other hand was a bullet but, for me, pales into the memory of John Deehan’s ballooning shot off Ian Cranson.

Binner Harrison: “Poor old Ian Cranson. What dreadful luck for Ipswich…”

 

Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

He didn't mean on the pitch . 

[Midlands Yellow 4,113]

On 29/08/2023 at 12:31, Inch High aka Inchy.. said:

Looking at the strength of the Championship this year do we really need the distraction of the EFL cup?

The FA cup is worth a go but I always feel the EFL cup is a cup too far.

We certainly do. Feel good factor, fringe players getting match time and excelling. More money in the coffers for a self financing club and the dream of a Wembley final once again. 

Edited August 30, 2023 by Midlands Yellow

[Satriales 701]

Avoided the binners at least.

[Duncan Edwards 2,271]

1 hour ago, Sufyellow said:

He didn't mean on the pitch . 

I was 6. Ran the gauntlet at the Drum and Monkey, picked up the pool table and threw it through the window before dropping their top boy “Track Suited Tractor Boy” with a Bruce Lee style one inch punch.

The good old days…

It has brought to mind a weird day at Southampton away. A little bloke turned up in his casual gear with leather gloves rummaged in his pocket and handed me an “NHS” calling card. He disappeared after about half an hour and never returned. Maybe my aftershave WAS that bad or perhaps the Southampton Assault Squad (or some such b0ll0cks) got a right hiding…

All a bit pathetic but a wonderful insight into 80s “football”.

Despite that and having attended since the early/mid 80s, home and away, I’ve never seen much trouble.

I did look proper hard when I was 6 mind… (laughing face)  

[The Right Winger 13]

On 29/08/2023 at 18:29, Inch High aka Inchy.. said:

You suppose wrong on your first point and on your own on the second. 

 

what a strange old man you must be. Very odd.

I find it very odd the only comp we ever won you think is a distraction in the hope of making it to a league we’re never going to win, bravo.what a strange old women you are.

[Ulfotto 644]

Given you can make 5 subs now or is it 6. Basically there is no reason not to field a decent team.

[Capt. Pants 4,298]

Plus Placheta will be buzzing and Sam did well too.

Keeps everyone interested and everyone on their toes. No more complacency.